


Fluttering Hearts and Seeds of Doubt

by Anonymous



Category: Dragalia Lost (Video Game)
Genre: Dating, F/F, Love Confessions, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:28:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26745157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: This is the story of two girls: Odetta, the loner, and Louise: Sweet and Gentle.With Lowen's help, their friendship blossoms into something more.
Relationships: Odetta/Louise (Dragalia Lost)
Kudos: 8
Collections: Anonymous





	Fluttering Hearts and Seeds of Doubt

**Author's Note:**

> Please note: this is a commission! The author wishes to remain anonymous. That said, feel free to leave any and all feedback in the comments!

“This feels wrong,” Odetta muttered, staring up at the ceiling. Her eyes had been glued to it for the past few minutes as she wondered just what exactly she did to deserve this.

“It’d be worrying if it didn’t feel wrong,” Louise responded, holding out a forkful of steak. “Say ‘ahh.’”

“Ahh.” Odetta opened her mouth and let Louise feed her another bite of her meal. “It’s my leg that’s broken, not my arms. I can feed myself.”

“And yet you aren’t stopping me from feeding you anyways,” Louise pointed out with a hint of a smirk forming at the edge of her lips. “So if this becomes too embarrassing for you, please let me know, and I’ll give you the fork.” Odetta grumbled at that but didn’t say anything. “Now open wide again.”

Odetta ate another bite of her meal. “I don’t mean that the broken leg feels wrong. It does, but that’s not the point. The point is that I’m not usually this still. It bothers me.”

“Yeah, I getcha,” Louise said sympathetically. “It was hard for me to do some regular stuff after Lowen finally moved out.”

“Well, Lowen still lives here,” Odetta pointed out. “And you seem to have simply pivoted your attention over to me.”

“Fair, but Lowen’s made quite the effort to stay independent. Sometimes I still ask him if he needs help, but every time he insists that he has it. He’s really grown up.” Louise smiled. “And come on, give me more credit than that. I’ve yet to smother you with affection.”

“If this isn’t smothering, I’m scared of what is.”

“Haha. Very funny.” The two girls chuckled at that. 

“It wasn’t my fault, you know,” Odetta said.

“What wasn’t?” Louise raised an eyebrow.

“You know,” Odetta motioned to her leg. “That.”

“Ah. That.”

“Everyone else told me that I made a mistake. But I know for a fact that it wasn’t a mistake.” Odetta was still insistent about that issue, even though it seemed as if the entire Halidom was against her.

“Well, I wasn’t actually there, so how about you tell me the story?” Louise suggested before feeding Odetta another bite, this time of some mashed potatoes.

“There’s not much to tell,” Odetta admitted. “There were some fiends harassing traders. I was part of the group meant to take them out. One of the bigger ones tried to take a chomp out of Cleo, so I jumped in the way.” She puffed her cheeks, pouting. “The prince does it all the time, but nobody chastises him.”

“Oh, they do,” Louise said, setting the now empty food tray to the side. “They just do it behind closed doors. It wouldn’t be very inspiring for the populace if they had to watch every time the prince got scolded for his martyr complex.” She grabbed the covers Odetta was laying under and adjusted them a bit, just for good measure.

“Well, I got scolded quite a bit more than I’m sure the prince usually does,” Odetta said. She was still confused as to how just a tiny movement of the sheets already made them feel so much more comfortable. It must’ve been that typical Louise magic that made the food taste better and everything else become so much more enjoyable. “Especially from Cleo. She shouted so much that I could’ve sworn my eardrums were about to burst.”

“Well, you know how Cleo is,” Louise said, taking the damp cloth off Odetta’s forehead and wringing it out over a nearby bucket. “She’s not very fond of others getting hurt because of her. Especially ever since she got that fancy new wand of hers.”

“You mean that wand she whacked me over the head with while scolding me?” Odetta asked dryly. “Which then required separate treatment of its own?”

“You know Cleo feels horrible about that,” Louise reminded. “She’ll have trouble even looking you in the eyes for weeks. You should try to talk to her if you get the chance. Some reassurance from you might help her out of her current slump.”

“Oh, I don’t think I’m the right one for that kind of discussion,” Odetta said a bit nervously. “You know me; subtle discussion is in no way my strong suit.”

“Well, since your usual strong suit is a bit hampered as of right now,” Louise said, looking down at Odetta’s healing leg, “perhaps trying something out of your comfort zone is just what you need.” Odetta grumbled. Louise had already come to realize that a grumble from Odetta meant the girl knew she was right but simply wouldn’t admit it.

“Well, aside from talking to people, what ideas do you have for me?” Odetta asked, deciding to humor Louise’s suggestion about trying new things. Trying new things was her specialty of course. Just not when those new things involved social interaction or showing personal emotions.

“Well, how about brewing tea?”

“I learned that from a spice merchant a few years back.”

“Knitting?”

“This wonderful old woman up north taught me the craft while we were stuck in a blizzard.”

“Board games? I have a few obscure ones that I can guarantee you’ve never heard of.”

“Like?”

Louise was a bit taken aback by how sure of herself Odetta sounded. Still, she wasn’t going to give up on this challenge. She listed off a few board games that she knew weren’t well known on a global scale.

“Ah yes, those. Quite fun.” Odetta didn’t even miss a beat. Louise felt stuck. If Odetta wasn’t open to trying any sorts of social ideas, and she had done just about everything else, then how was Louise going to keep her busy while her leg healed?

An idea began to take shape in Louise’s mind. Perhaps a bit of a mean one, and definitely one that would give her plenty of opportunities to tease, but an idea that she thought was rather good. “Fine then. How about dating?”

“D-dating!?” Odetta exclaimed, embarrassed just by the idea of it. “Are you mad!? Why on earth would I date someone?”

“Well, why not?”

“Because dating is...is...awful!” Odetta’s face had begun turning the same color as a beet, and Louise was doing her best not to show how amusing she found the reaction to be. “You have to sit down and talk to someone, and then you have to talk about  _ feelings _ and  _ emotions _ and, and...other pointless things!”

“Come on, you can’t tell me there’s not a soul you would want to date!” Louise insisted. “There has to be someone. Come on, you can tell me. A dashing rogue? Some benevolent nobleman’s son?  _ Ranzal _ ?”

“Please Louise, after all the trouble you went through to feed me, don’t say things that will only end up making me vomit.”

“You’re dodging the question,” Louise said in a sing-song voice. “Tell you what, If you answer truthfully, I’ll get you some dessert.” Odetta shook her head stubbornly. She was not about to reveal her crush to Louise of all people.

“I think it’s about time you leave me alone for a little while,” Odetta said firmly. She had her fill of interaction for the time being. Louise, understanding the girl’s desire to alone time, simply nodded, dropping the subject and leaving the room. Only once she was gone did Odetta let her defenses slip. “Oh, Louise...why did you have to ask me that?” It felt like her heart was going to burst out of her at this rate.

Odetta initially hated Louise. The girl was overbearing, nosy, obsessive, and worst of all, not fond of traveling. She attached herself to Odetta, doting over her constantly. But when Odetta finally got her to stop, she realized just how much she had come to rely on all of it. So, hesitantly, she let Louise back into her life, and things continued as usual. And now, those attributes Odetta used to loathe were now just more things that she loved.

Love. Odetta didn’t like to think about that word, nor the rush of emotions that came with it. But it was the only word she had to describe how she had come to feel towards Louise. It frankly terrified her, but she had to face the music; she was madly in love with her. “Louise,” she grumbled, her face already turning red.

“What about her?” A younger voice asked. Odetta cried out in shock, looking at the door to her room and seeing the young Lowen standing in front of it. “She came out of here looking pretty down. Did you make fun of her or something?”

“I most certainly did not, Lowen. And don’t you know how incredibly rude it is to enter a woman’s room unannounced? I could have been undressing myself!”

Lowen took that pretty hard, starting to stammer. “O-oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that, um, uh...oh geez, now this is really embarrassing! I’m so sorry, Odetta!”

Odetta sighed. “It is fine, Lowen. But you really must knock before entering someone’s room. Louise is fine. I simply wanted some time alone.”

“Time alone?” Lowen asked, tilting his head. “Why would you want that?” Odetta raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he meant by that. “I mean, aren’t you two dating?” Odetta immediately began clearing her throat, feeling like the food she had just eaten was going to suddenly come back out.

“Dating!? Ridiculous! Why would we - I mean, I - I mean, us, we’ve, we’re...no! No, of course we’re not dating! Never! Not in a million years!” In response to Odetta’s panic, Lowen couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh come on Odetta, it’s so obvious that you two like each other! Louise talks about you around me more than anyone else. And you two are always close. Like two peas in a pod!”

“That’s simply a strong friendship, Lowen! Nothing more! You’re seeing things that aren’t there.”

“So...you  _ don’t _ like Louise?” Lowen blinked. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Really sure?”

“Yes!”

“Really, really sure?” There was a pause after that. Odetta tried to deny it again, but she was finding it increasingly more difficult to do so. All of the pent-up emotions inside of her were just begging to get out.

“Okay, fine! I like her!” Odetta admitted, so embarrassed that she just wanted to hide under her covers and wait for Lowen to leave. But she knew that was nothing more than a fantasy. “There, are you happy? I do in fact like her. Quite a lot.”

“That’s what I thought!” Lowen said cheerily. “There, see? Don’t you feel better now that you’ve gotten it all out?”

“Not at all!” Odetta said. “I feel even worse! Oh goodness, I’m so embarrassed!”

“What’s there to be embarrassed about?”

“Well she’s  _ your _ sister! And I just admitted to being infatuated with her!”

“Odetta, listen,” Lowen said. “Growing up with Louise, I quickly learned that being ashamed around her is never a good idea. She doesn’t care about embarrassment or stuff like that. So neither should you!” Though it was still flawed, Odetta had to admit that Lowen’s simplistic view of the matter wasn’t entirely invalid. “So, you’re really dating then, right?”

“No! No, and that’s the worst part! She doesn’t even know that I like her!”

“What!?” Lowen said with a gasp. “How in the world can she not know? It’s so obvious!” Was it really that clear to see? “I mean, you give her goo-goo eyes all the darn time.”

“Well how am I supposed to tell her? I mean, what if she says no? What if she doesn’t like me back? Then what happens? Suddenly everything becomes so unbearably awkward between the two of us, and every time we spend time together we’ll remember the time she shut me down, and soon we’ll drift apart and stop being even friends and then--”

“Odetta!” Lowen shouted, interrupting her. “Breathe.” She followed his instructions. “Now, listen. I know my sister better than anyone, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that she likes you just as much as you like her, if not more. Do you see anyone else getting the same treatment from her that you get?” Odetta shook her head. “I thought not. The sooner you two just admit your feelings, the better things are gonna be!”

“No!” Odetta insisted. “No, no, no! No way! I am not gonna tell her that! What if…” Odetta’s voice cracked for a brief moment. “What if she says no?” she asked once again.

“She won’t, Odetta.”

“But what if she does!?”

Lowen walked up to Odetta and set his hand on hers, which was visibly trembling. “She won’t. Believe me on that. Louise totally loves you. So you need to ask her out on a date already.”

“Even if I did, I’ve never been on a date. I don’t know what that’s like! I mean, do I have to wear a special outfit? Is there some specific way to ask?”

Lowen giggled. “It’s not that complicated, Odetta. Tell you what: I’ll help you. I’ll show you the ropes of how to go on a date with Louise. And in return, you have to tell her how you feel. Deal?”

“No deal.”

“Aw, come on!” Lowen whined. “You telling Louise the truth would make her the happiest girl in the world. I’m doing this for her as much as I’m doing this for you.” That finally made Odetta begin to reconsider. Would telling Louise her feelings really make her so happy? If that was true, then maybe she really did like Odetta back. And if she liked Odetta back, then that meant they could be a couple. Just the idea of it made Odetta’s heart beat even faster than it already was.

“F-fine,” Odetta said, relenting. “You can help me. But you can’t tell anyone else that I like Louise! Not a single soul, you hear me?”

Lowen dramatically put his fist to his chest. “I solemnly swear that these lips are sealed. Not even torture would pry the secret of your feelings out of me. Now come on, let’s go!”

“Um, Lowen?” Odetta said quietly.

“What’s up?”

“You know my leg’s broken. Right?”

“...Oh. Right. Then, let’s go when your leg is all better!”

And so it went. After about a week, Odetta was finally able to see a proper healer. The clerics had all been out tending to an epidemic in one of the local villages, so only once they returned could she get her leg all fixed up. It was a massive relief to finally be able to move around independently again. Though she did miss the extra attention from Louise that it granted her.

Throughout that whole week, Lowen had been teaching Odetta about the art of dating. Apparently, he had gathered this information from around the halidom from various sources. Some of these sources were obviously less trustworthy than others. Notes like “Always bring roast beef to a date,” and “Make sure they don’t notice you watching them during their private time,” were quickly thrown out. Others, like “Dress smart but not obvious,” and “Try to take initiative,” were better received by Lowen and Odetta, who poured over the notes he had collected.

The two of them had mock conversations where Lowen would play the role of his big sister. This was highly uncomfortable at first for Odetta, but she soon grew used to it and was able to use the experiences to raise her confidence. She decided on a place for the date to happen at well in advance and made sure to pick a time when Louise’s schedule would be clear.

Schedules, preparation, these things weren’t familiar to Odetta. Her mantra had always been to do what felt right whenever it felt right. But a date seemed to just be nonstop preparation, and that bothered her immensely. If it was for anyone else, she would’ve given up early on. But it wasn’t anyone else. It was Louise. So she stuck through it.

Lowen wanted Odetta to be upfront about the nature of the date. Odetta wanted to wait until it was happening to reveal her feelings. After what felt like hours of arguing about that particular issue, they both gave up and decided to just flip a coin. Odetta won. Lowen was a very sore loser about it. She decided to stick with her regular outfit, and since Lowen wasn’t exactly well-versed in the art of women’s clothing, she got her way there too.

Eventually, after what felt like far too long yet not long enough for the nerve-wracked Odetta, the date’s date arrived. After making sure everything was ready and giving an enthusiastic thumbs-up, Lowen sent her on her way. She and Louise had agreed to meet up at a local cafe that they both liked. Odetta thought that if there was any place that would help calm her nerves, it would be a cafe.

Louise, thankfully, was wearing her own normal outfit as well. Then again, Odetta thought, what if that was a sign that she wasn’t taking it seriously? They hadn’t even exchanged hello’s and she was already starting to doubt herself and her decision to go on this date at all. A waitress approached and took their order. Louise asked for a cup containing (in this exact order) a spoonful of cream, two shots of a latte, a pinch of cinnamon, a teaspoon of sugar, and one extra shot of black coffee. Odetta checked the menu and picked the first thing her eyes landed on: a weekly special infused with a berry flavor. It probably wasn’t going to taste very good, but the reason she liked the cafe so much was that they were always trying something new.

“You, um,” Odetta began, trying to start up a conversation, “look really nice.”

“Why thank you, Odetta!” Louise said, beaming at the compliment. “You look wonderful as well. Did you do something with your hat?” Odetta looked up at her small hat and then shook her head. “Huh. I could’ve sworn something was different about it. Ah well. You’ll have to tell me how that berry drink tastes. I mean, it sounds awful, but who knows?”

“One of the most important things I’ve learned over my travels,” Odetta said, “is that you should always be ready for a surprise. Primarily in culinary affairs. Like mixing cheese with scrambled eggs.”

“Oh, my mother used to always make scrambled eggs with cheese for Lowen and I! Since my birthday’s during the harvest season, I always got a freshly squeezed cup of orange juice for breakfast that day. I heard Cleo had success duplicating a meal’s unique flavor during Dragonyule. Perhaps I should ask her to try the same with scrambled eggs.” Already, Louise was happily talking away. Odetta couldn’t help but envy that trait a little bit.

“You know, I actually make a pretty mean dish of scrambled eggs myself,” Odetta said, trying not to sound like too much of a braggart.

“Really!?” Louise exclaimed. “Oh, I would love to try them, Odetta. I’m sure they’d be absolutely delicious!” Odetta hoped that she wasn’t blushing, but she sure felt like she was. “Especially if they’re anything like those spider cookies you made back in October.”

“Well, cookies and scrambled eggs are quite the different meals, but I’ll certainly try my best,” Odetta said sheepishly.

“And I’m sure you’ll deliver your best as well, as you always do.” Louise had that reassuring tone of voice that always made Odetta feel better about things. “Ah, there it is,” she said, looking over at a waitress carrying their drinks. “Thank you very much,” she said to her as the drinks were set down on their table. She took a small sip, sighing happily. “Perfect. I’ve no idea how people can enjoy pure black coffee. I need enough sweeteners to equal the sugar intake of a wedding cake, personally.”

“I’m not too picky when it comes to my own coffee. Erm, not to say that you’re picky!” Odetta scrambled to make sure her message didn’t come off as rude. Louise just laughed, clearly taking no offense. Odetta raised her cup to her lips and took a small sip. Her eyes widened a bit. “Oh my,” she said, setting the cup down. “It’s not bad, actually.”

“Really?” Louise asked curiously. “Let me try.” Odetta handed her the cup, letting her try it. “You’re right. It’s not something I think I’d order, but it’s in no way bad. I suppose this cafe can pull off just about anything.” She handed it back to Odetta, who took it while nodding in agreement. “Well, thank you for letting me try something new.”

“Even if you hadn't asked, I’d have offered you a sip,” Odetta said. “I never did get to thank you for tending to me while my leg was broken.”

“Hm?” Louise’s eyebrows slightly raised. “But you did. Multiple times.”

Odetta blushed slightly. “I mean, I never thanked you after my leg was healed. I was too busy attending to...other things,” she said vaguely, not wanting to reveal she was learning dating 101 the entire time. “So for what should be the final time, thank you.”

“Well, it was no problem, Odetta.” Louise took another sip of her drink. “I did what any best friend would do in that situation.”

“I think you went above and beyond the call of duty in that situation,” Odetta said. “You stayed with me every chance you got. It made the time go by much faster and far more pleasantly.”

“Really, you’re making it sound like more than it was, Odetta. I was merely--” Louise stopped talking when Odetta, acting more on instinct than anything else, set a hand atop hers.

“It wasn’t ‘merely’ anything, Louise.” Odetta tried her best not to sound awkward. “It meant a great deal to me. So thank you.” Louise stared at her, her cheeks just the slightest tinge of red, and eventually nodded, gulping visibly. Odetta quickly removed her hand. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to behave in such a way.”

“No, it’s fine.” There was a long period of silence between the two of them as they each continued enjoying their drinks. But the enjoyment was soured by what had just happened. Odetta already found herself wishing that she could go back in time for just a few seconds so she could react better.

Odetta knew now that any chance of this being a “date” had been dashed. Now, it would be doomed to exist as a slightly awkward exchange between friends. Good friends, but friends still.

Eventually, the coffee emptied out. Odetta stared at the bottom of the cup, realizing that her time was up. Louise was nearly done as well. She didn’t want to be here any longer, not after realizing that this was a failed endeavour. “Well, I had a wonderful time,” she said, standing up and pushing her seat in. “I do hope we can have another chat like this sometime.”

“Of course!” Louise stood up and gave Odetta a friendly hug. “Have a good day, Odetta.”

“You as well,” Odetta said. She waited until she was out of sight to start crying.

Lowen had to take up the unfamiliar task of comforting a distraught Odetta, who explained that the whole date had been an abject failure. She was no closer to finally establishing a romantic relationship with Louise. If anything, it felt further away than ever. “I think you might be overreacting a bit,” Lowen said. “It was just slightly awkward near the end. Everything else sounds like it went well. Cheer up! There’s always next time.”

“Next time?” Odetta repeated. “I don’t know if there will even be a ‘next time.’ I barely was able to work up the courage to take her out to something like this. And when I finally tried to be more emotional, I messed it up! This will never work…”

“I know it will,” Lowen said, trying to reassure Odetta. “Louise loves you, and you love her too. Everything will be fine. You just need to keep working on it.”

Romance was hard. Traveling wasn’t. When Odetta traveled, she constantly encountered new things. When she wanted to find something wholly unfamiliar, she didn’t have to go far. But romance was different. Romance was wanting one thing, one person, and having to try constantly to get her, all while worrying that she was too far out of reach to ever get.

In the midst of Odetta’s emotional slump, Louise approached her with an offer that immediately cheered her up. “There’s a harvest festival being set up in the Halidom,” Louise said. “I was wondering if you’d like to go with me.” Odetta eagerly agreed, of course, realizing that she had been given a chance to amend the mistakes she made during her failed date. She could use her mistakes and learn from them, instead making the right decisions in the festival. It felt like a blessing from the heavens for her.

Lowen was equally on board with the idea. “It’s perfect!” he declared. “There will be so many perfect moments to confess your love. All you gotta do is go for it!” His intention was to assure Odetta that she had more than one chance to pull it off, but all that she pulled from that was she needed to find the best of the best opportunities during the festival.

Odetta spent more time practicing her dating etiquette. Lowen even gave her tests on the subject. He was determined to turn her into the queen of dating by the time the festival arrived, and while that was still far away when the day came, he felt confident that he had given Odetta enough practice for her to succeed. She was far less confident, personally.

Still, nothing was going to stop the march of time, and eventually the day of the festival arrived. Lowen had advised her to wear a nice outfit, but Odetta just ended up wearing her regular ol’ clothes. She liked the comfort they brought. This decision was one that she regretted the moment she met up with Louise.

Louise’s outfit was, for lack of a better word, gorgeous. It was this wonderfully made white dress, with small lines of green here and there, more reminiscent of her usual color scheme. She was wearing a jade brooch that complimented her eyes perfectly. And her hair had been done up in an intricate bun that Odetta struggled not to stare at. However, Louise caught her eye regardless.

“It’s stupid, isn’t it?” Louise asked. “Lowen suggested it, and I just kinda bought it without thinking.” Lowen, you sneaky devil, Odetta thought to herself.

“Not at all! It’s very nice.” Odetta paused. “Beautiful. It’s beautiful.” Her correction felt a bit awkward, but she’d be damned if she was going to leave her thoughts at “nice.”

“Aww, thank you!” Louise offered a friendly hug, one that Odetta went stiff as a board in. She was plenty used to physical contact, but with Louise it was like all of her experience and confidence just vanished. Louise didn’t seem to notice this.

“And hey, you dressed up for the night. I’m just wearing my typical clothes.” Odetta looked down at herself as Louise broke the hug.

“Well, your typical clothes are plenty gorgeous already. I don’t see what’s so wrong about wearing them again.” Louise’s compliment made Odetta’s stomach go all fluttery. “Shall we?” she said, beckoning Odetta out of her room. She nodded, stepping out and following Louise to the festival.

The entire Halidom was in the mood for a party, with decorations covering practically every inch of the place. Odetta was particularly entranced by all of the paper lanterns. They were in a wide assortment of colors, meaning that no spot in the Halidom looked the exact same in terms of lighting. One room they passed through was lit entirely in a cool, hazy purple. Another was a mixture of red and yellow.

The streets were packed with people, running all around to have as much fun as possible. Odetta and Louise opted to take their time instead, smelling all of the roses. They encountered a stand that contained a wide array of kebabs, which they were more than happy to enjoy. Louise ended up getting a huge smudge of sauce on her upper lip, but when Odetta pointed it out, she laughed for a good half a minute before actually wiping it off. Odetta had her own turn in the spotlight when she stepped on some gum. Louise just laughed as she lamented the sticky pink mess now stuck under her nice shoe.

“It’s nice to see the Halidom like this,” Louise remarked as she and Odetta walked through a busy street. “Everybody’s always so dour because of the war. Seeing people so happy is such a nice change of pace.”

“I agree,” Odetta said, nodding. “It’s nice to forget about all the bad things, even if it's just for one night.” A cluster of lanterns floated across the sky, all a bright red. “It helps that we’ve got some of the best festival planners in all of Hinomoto. I don’t know how those guys pull it off.”

“Hard work and a bit of luck, I’d presume.” Louise giggled. “Hey, do you wanna get lanterns of our own?”

“Huh?” Odetta blinked. “I suppose that would be--”

“Great!” Louise grabbed Odetta by the wrist and dragged her along, running to the source of the lanterns. She seemed completely oblivious of just how flustered Odetta was by this. All Odetta could think about was how soft Louise’s hand was and how stunning she looked tonight. Eventually they arrived at a stand where people were gathering to get their own lanterns. Louise walked up and gave some money in exchange for two paper lanterns. “Check it out! Apparently all you gotta do is light the underside on fire, and they’ll fly away!”

Odetta had seen Hinomoto festival lanterns before, but she decided to play dumb so Louise could have more fun. They each took one and wrote their names on it before using a match to light the bottoms on fire. And just as Louise said, they began to float to the sky. They looked at them soaring away with wide smiles on their faces. “Oh,” Louise said, “I forgot! The man at the stand said that you’re supposed to make a wish, and that the lanterns will fly to make them come true.”

“Really?” Odetta had never heard that before. She wondered if the man had said that to get more sales. Either way, it was a pleasant idea, so she decided to roll with it. “Well then, what’s your wish, Louise?”

“Hmm…” Louise scratched her chin. “I wish...I wish to stay with the people I love. I think that’s a nice wish to have; don’t you?” She looked at Odetta expectantly.

Odetta nodded. “Yeah, that is a nice wish.” She couldn’t help but admire the naive simplicity of Louise’s desire. And, of course, feel jealous that it wasn’t about her specifically. She knew it was a selfish and unrealistic desire to have, but it didn’t stop her from wanting it regardless.

“And what about you?” Louise asked. “What’s your wish, Odetta?”  
“I wish…” Odetta closed her eyes and took a breath, trying to think. “I wish for the courage to confess.”

“Confess?” Louise repeated. It was only then that Odetta realised just how strange her wish sounded. Crap! Why did she have to say something like that? “Confess what? And to who?”

“Nothing!” Odetta exclaimed. “Nothing at all. Just thinking out loud.”

Louise’s smile started to become sneakier. “Ooh, does someone have a crush?” Odetta couldn’t stop her face from turning a bright red. “I knew it, you totally have a crush!”

“It’s none of your business,” Odetta grumbled.

“Of course it is!” Louise took Odetta’s hands in her own. “As your closest friend, I have to help you confess to your secret crush. So who’s the lucky guy?”

“I…” Odetta looked away, unable to look Louise in the eyes. “It’s a she…”

Louise gasped in delight. “Oh, how adorable! Well then, who’s the lucky gal? Oh, this is going to be so much fun!”

“For you, maybe,” Odetta retorted. “It’s just embarrassing for me.”

“Oh fine,” Louise said, “don’t tell me.” She gave an understanding wink. “But just know that I’m ready to help you when you’re ready to confess.”

“Confess…” Odetta looked at the ground, sighing. The idea of being able to tell Louise the truth seemed like a more and more difficult concept with every passing second. Did she even have a chance? Assuming she worked up the courage and finally confessed, would Louise even accept that kind of relationship? At the very least, she still needed to create the perfect moment. The fireworks would be going off soon, which could work, but she wondered if they’d distract too much.

Louise grabbed Odetta’s hand, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Okay, I heard about a dart-throwing game nearby. Apparently they’re giving out prizes to winners. C’mon!” Without waiting for a response, Louise dragged Odetta along, hurrying through the crowded streets.

“Louise, h-hold on!” Odetta blushed, feeling how warm and soft Louise’s hand was. Why was it embarrassing her now? It wasn’t the first time they had held hands like this. Was her anxiety towards the situation just getting to her? “Slow down, I’m gonna--” But it was too late. Odetta felt her foot slip, sending her flying forward. For a moment, time seemed to slow to a crawl as she panicked. The last thing she needed today was for her face to have a meeting with the pavement.

But that wasn’t what happened. Instead, Odetta’s face had a meeting with something much softer and warmer. At first, she didn’t understand what had happened. Then she looked up at Louise’s worrying face. “Odetta! Are you alright!?”

“...huh?” Odetta blinked. “Huh?” The realization hit fast and hard. Her face was smack dab between Louise’s breasts. She leaned back so fast that she almost fell in the opposite direction, but thankfully she managed to keep her balance this time. “Oh my goodness, Louise, I am so sorry!”

Louise chuckled, waving her hand. “No, no. It was my fault for dragging you around too fast. Nothing to apologize for.”

“B-b-but my face was between your…” Both girls began to blush furiously. “Oh jeez, this is so embarrassing…”

“Hey,” Louise said, taking Odetta’s hand once again. “Let’s just forget it ever happened, okay?” A part of Odetta didn’t want to forget. It was so lovely, being that close to her crush in such an intimate way. But the other part of her knew that the embarrassment was going to kill her. So she gave a quick nod in agreement.

A loud  _ crash _ went off above them, drawing their attention to the sky. A pyroblossom had just erupted into a shower of gold and red, getting a chorus of “ooh”s and “ahh”s from the people around them. “The fireworks have already started?” Louise commented. The festival had gone by faster than they had realized.

Odetta started to worry even more. She was running out of time, and running out of chances to confess. The fireworks were her last real opportunity to say something before the festival was over, and at this rate she wouldn’t be able to do it. She went over the plan for a fireworks proposal in her head. There was a nearby grove she knew about that was lovely at this time of night. Even better, it would have a perfect view of the night sky, giving them a private view of the pyroblossom show. “Um, Louise…” she stammered out, her voice barely above a whisper.

Louise grabbed her hand and started dragging her along once again. “Oh,” Louise said with a massive smile on her face, “follow me!”

“Wait, Louise!” Odetta couldn’t let things go this way. She had to get to that grove! “Hold on for just a second!”

“No time to waste,” Louise responded, not even looking back to see Odetta. “Pick up the pace!” They ducked through an alleyway and started heading deeper into the city. Odetta had no idea where Louise was taking her. Even worse, she knew that Louise’s mind was too set in stone to be changed. At this point she was simply along for the ride.

Reluctantly, but willingly, Odetta followed Louise. She started to realize, with a sinking feeling in her gut, that her plans for the night had failed. At this point, continuing would only feel like a sick joke. “Hey, Louise, can we…” Louise still wasn’t listening. “Louise! Hey, can you just stop?”

“I already said there’s no time,” Louise repeated.

“And I said  _ stop _ !” Out of patience, Odetta ground her heels against the cobbled street, stopping the two of them in their tracks in the middle of another random alleyway.

Louise finally took the time to look at Odetta, tilting her head. She said breathlessly, “Odetta, really, can it just wait until we get to--”

“No, it can not wait!” Odetta shouted, yanking her hand out of Louise’s. “I want you to listen to me, alright? Just listen!”

Louise’s expression softened as she realized something was wrong. “What’s gotten into you?”

“What’s gotten into  _ me _ ? You’re the one yanking me all over the place! You’re going to pop my arm out of its socket!” Odetta was furious. Everything had been ruined. Once again, she was too much of a coward to admit her feelings, and once again, all the time she had spent preparing had gone to waste. “I’m tired. I want to go home. Is that too much to ask!?”

Louise took a step back. “N-no, of course not. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize--”

Odetta interrupted once again. “Didn’t realize what? That you were dragging me all around like a rag doll? That I didn’t get to choose a single thing to do tonight? Or how about you harassing me about some crush I don’t even have!?”

“You don’t have a…” Louise paused. “Odetta, really, I’m sorry. I should have noticed you were bothered by me.”

“Oh, bothered doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface.” Odetta was too busy ranting to notice the grave she was digging herself into.

“I see.” Louise’s head drooped. “I ruined the festival for you, didn’t I? I got too far ahead of myself again.”

“The entire festival was a complete waste of time!” Odetta finally took a moment to process what Louise had said. “Wait, again?”

“Every time I’m around you, I do something really stupid. I get way too enthusiastic, or ask you really personal questions, or do something else that just makes me look like an insensitive jerk!” This time, it was Louise’s turn to start shouting. “Like when you broke your leg and I just _had_ to take care of you. You kept saying it was fine, but I wouldn’t leave you alone. Or when I keep complimenting you, even when it makes you uncomfortable. I just don’t know when to stop! Or all the times I tease you about having a crush!”  
“Louise…” Odetta’s voice dropped to a whisper.

“I can’t stop myself. Every time I get close to someone, I don’t leave them alone. I violate their personal space, their privacy, everything! I start trying to take care of them and solve all of their problems. And every time, it pushes them away. It happened with Lowen, and now it’s happening with you! And I don’t want it to happen with you! But I’m such an idiot that I can’t stop pushing you away!”  
“Pushing me away?” Odetta was baffled. “Louise, what’re you talking about?”

“You’ve been so distant lately. Every time we meet up, it seems like you can’t stand being in your own skin. It’s because of me, isn’t it? I keep making you uncomfortable, and you just want me to leave you alone. Tonight was supposed to fix things, it was supposed to be my chance to make things better! And I screwed it up again!” Tears were welling up in Louise’s eyes. Odetta had no idea how to respond. “This is what an idiot like me gets for falling in love!”

“Falling in love?” The words dripped out of Odetta’s mouth. Louise gasped and looked up at her.

“I didn’t--” Louise stammered. “I mean, that’s...I didn’t mean that I…” She held her face in her hands. “Oh, there I go again. I’m so stupid! Yes, Odetta, I love you! I love you, and I’ve never been able to say it because I’m scared you’re gonna leave me like Lowen did, and I’m gonna be all alone! And I hate being alone! I hate it so much that when I fell in love with you, I was scared I was gonna scare you off. And I did! Tonight was supposed to be perfect. I was supposed to show you all the best parts of the festival and then take you to a special spot in the Halidom where we could watch the pyroblossoms. But I screwed it up. You hated being here the entire time.”

“You…” Odetta stepped closer to Louise, closing the gap between them. “You were trying to confess too?”

“Too?” Louise stammered back.

“Louise. Louise…” Odetta hugged Louise before either of them said anything else. “I don’t hate you. I could never hate you. I was trying to work up the courage to tell you how I feel, and I just couldn’t. And then I started blaming you because I messed up, and now you feel terrible, and it’s all my fault…”

“Wait.” Louise stood there, stiff as a board. “We were both trying to confess to each other? And we both messed up?”

“I think so, yeah.” Odetta sniffed, nearly about to cry as well. Louise let out a chuckle. “What’s so funny?”  
Louise’s chuckling turned into full on laughter as her posture finally relaxed. “Oh, that’s...that’s too funny! We’re both such dorks that we, we…” Unable to finish her sentence, she just kept laughing as she wrapped her arms around Odetta.

“How long have you been in love with me?” Odetta asked.

“I think I started getting butterflies in my stomach after you first met me and said, “Hi, I’m Odetta.’”

“So, around the same time I did.” Odetta’s response got the both of them to laugh. “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe this.”

“Neither can I.” Louise was breathless.

“Listen to me, Louise.” Odetta hugged her tighter. “I don’t hate you. I could never, ever hate you. You’re not creepy or overprotective. You’re doting and loving. When I tried to push you away, it was just because I was too scared to mess things up between us. I didn’t understand what it was like to want stability, to love someone. Honestly, I still don’t really get it. But I want to. Gods, I want to.”

“This isn't a dream, right?” Louise rested her head on Odetta’s shoulder. “I’m not just imagining this?” Odetta gave her a quick pinch. “Ow! That hurt!”  
“Hey, now you know you’re not imagining it.” Odetta pulled back, looking into Louise’s eyes with a wide smile. The two of them stared at each other for a few moments, before they leaned closer, their lips pressing together. And for a good long while, they stayed like that. Seconds felt like minutes, and yet when the kiss finally ended, it still felt like it was too soon.

“So, you love me,” Louise said. Odetta nodded. “And I love you. And we’ve been both tiptoeing around it because we didn’t want the other person to reject us. Man, love really is the worst thing ever.”

Odetta laughed. “Tell me about it. But maybe, as long as I’m with you, it’ll be easier to deal with.”

“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” Louise replied. “Hey, so, um...wanna get out of here? This alley is really gross.” They both looked towards the wall, where a half, eaten cup of noodles was spilled out against it.

“Yeah, for sure.” Odetta grabbed Louise by the hand. This time, nobody was going to be dragging anybody around. “Should we go to my place? Or yours?”

“Let’s play it by ear. See what happens. That’s what you like, isn’t it? The adventure of it all.”

Odetta chuckled. “I do enjoy a good adventure. But if anything was ever going to get me to settle down, it would be you.” They kissed each other once more before setting off. And for the first time in a long time, Odetta felt safe. She had forgotten how nice that feeling was. She didn’t want to forget it ever again.


End file.
